Last Updated on: 18th October 2021, 12:22 pm
Who is Ali Harbi Ali of UK? Biography, Wiki
Ali Harbi Ali is the suspect in the murder of British politician David Amess. As per the BBC, he is a British citizen of Somali origin.
He is accused of stabbing Amess in an act of terrorism. Amess was a Tory MP who represented Southend West.
Amess was assassinated during a campaign rally at Belfair Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday, 15th October 2021.
Ali Harbi Ali’s Age
His current age is 25 years.
The Killing of David Amess
As per the Sky News, Ali made an appointment to see Amess in a meeting while he was performing constituency surgery at the church. Scottish adviser John Lamb told the BBC he spoke to one of Amess’s staff and told him: “All of a sudden she was screaming because the person deliberately came out a knife and started stabbing David. The other lady, the stranger has name came running up and saw that poor David had been stabbed to death.”
Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “The incident was officially labeled as terrorism by the Senior National Coordinator for Terrorism Watch, Assistant Deputy Commissioner Dean Haydon. The Met’s Counterterrorism Command is leading the investigation.”
Scotland Yard added: “Late Friday 15th October the man in custody under Section 41 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2000 was held at a London police station.”
Ali Harbi Ali Arrested
The 25-year-old suspect was arrested shortly after 12:05 p.m. at Eastwood Road North Church, Leigh-on-Sea. Friday, 15th October, after stabbing Amess, Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
“A knife that was used in the attack was found at the scene. No one else was treated for injuries sustained after the incident,” police said in a statement.
What Was Ali Harbi Ali’s Criminal Record?
A source told Sky News that Ali had previously been referred to Prevent, a government counterterrorism plan to stop radicalization.
The BBC reports that this happened “a few years ago”, but no further details have been released. Sky News reports that Ali was “not on the MI5 radar” and the BBC added that security had not formally investigated him.
As per the 2019 Financial Times report, the UK government claimed at the time that the Prevent program had turned over 1,200 people away from extremism. But FT reported that the program was controversial.
The BBC reported that Ali did not spend long with the counterterrorism program. In a statement following the attack, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said, as per The National, “Prevent is currently under independent review.”
